Marsh, commonly known as America’s first conservationist, is relevant not only for his focus on the effects of human agency on nature and the environment, but also for his many other contributions to modern culture. Thus, this collection of essays highlights his conservation efforts alongside his considerable accomplishments in other fields including his contributions to linguistics, civic engagement, women’s rights, and European politics.

As Dean Dolling writes in her introduction to the text, “Even those of us already familiar with the more far-reaching scope of Marsh’s accomplish were astonished to learn how they continue to influence so much of current discourse, practices, and beliefs about nature, history, and our place in the world.” The anthology’s contributors succeed in elucidating Marsh and his work in ways that emphasize the impact he had during his lifetime, and the relevance his work still holds today.